Community Voices: Early years crucial for brain building

Friday

Apr 4, 2014 at 6:40 PMApr 4, 2014 at 7:09 PM

For the past 40 years, I have been an educator and advocate of young children in many different states and capacities. As early childhood educators, we have long known the importance of quality education for the youngest of our children. We now have the science to prove how the first five years of life are the most important for brain building development.

Jo-Anne Sbrega

For the past 40 years, I have been an educator and advocate of young children in many different states and capacities. As early childhood educators, we have long known the importance of quality education for the youngest of our children. We now have the science to prove how the first five years of life are the most important for brain building development.

I would like to offer to you the following information provided by the Department of Early Education and Care of Massachusetts, called Brain Building in Progress, of which The Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River is a participant. It is a pleasure to serve as a member of the planning team.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, business leader or legislator, all of us have a stake in supporting Brain Building in Progress. Here are five ways you can be a Brain Builder:

1. Make any moment a brain building moment. Take a moment in a busy world to engage and interact with a child. Children’s brains are built through back-and-forth interactions and meaningful conversations with caring adults.

2. Look for brain building zones. Physical environments provide a framework for children’s learning and development. Seek out and support the rich network of children’s museums, libraries and community centers throughout the commonwealth. While Brain Building can happen anywhere, these especially stimulating environments play a crucial role.

3. Build your knowledge. The more we know, the more we help our children grow. A knowledgeable community and well-qualified education workforce give children the support they need to succeed in school and life. The more everyone understands the importance of Brain Building, the more prosperous Massachusetts’ future will be.

4. Make connections that build young brains. Brain building is a community-wide commitment with a network of supports. Connect with your local resource centers, Coordinated Family and Community Engagement grantee, go to www.brainbuildinginprogress.org or call 2-1-1 to learn more about resources in your area.

5. Lead so that young children succeed. Effective leaders are needed to champion brain building. Show your commitment by sharing brain building information among your networks, taking leadership within your child care program, signing the Brain Building Pledge or advocating for investments that focus on young children. With so much at stake, now is the time to take action.

The Brain Building in Progress campaign is a public/private partnership of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley and a growing community of early education and child-care providers, academic researchers, business and government leaders and community organizations. For more information, please visit www.brainbuildinginprogress.org.

This year, the Week of The Young Child will be April 5-12. Each year the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) dedicates this one week to build awareness of the importance of Brain Building in our youngest children. Please consider supporting The Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River in this initiative.

Jo-Anne Sbrega is executive director of the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River. Community Voices is a weekly column featuring experts and specialists from the community. Sbrega's column is part of a series of columns for the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee.